- Donald Beard
-
Donald Wainwright Beard Born 20 May 1895
Elworth, Sandbach, Cheshire, EnglandDied Unknown Allegiance 
United KingdomService/branch Aviation Rank Lieutenant Unit No. 4 Squadron RFC, No. 11 Squadron RAF Awards Military Medal Lieutenant Donald Wainwright Beard (born 20 May 1895, date of death unknown) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.[1]
Contents
Service through end of World War I
Beard originally joined the Royal Flying Corps as a mechanic on 20 August 1913. He was manning the guns in the back seat of a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 on a 4 Squadron mission flown on 20 July 1916. During a dogfight, Captain Copeland, the pilot, was wounded. Beard shot down the attacking Pfalz E.I, then flew the B.E.2 home. His heroism earned him a Military Medal and a chance for pilot training.[2]
Training completed, he was assigned to 11 Squadron as a sergeant pilot of a Bristol F.2 Fighter on 26 November 1917. On 9 March 1918, with Sergeant H. W. Scarnell manning the rear guns, Beard drove a German Pfalz D.III down out of control. Six days later, the same team destroyed an Albatros D.III fighter and drove down two others. A week later, with Second Lieutenant H. M. Stewart as gunner, Beard set a D.V on fire.[2] On 3 April 1918, Beard was commissioned as a Temporary Second Lieutenant.[3] Beard's final victories came on 9 May 1918, when he destroyed one Pfalz D.III and drove another down out of control.[2]
Between the wars
On 10 December 1920, Beard gave up his commission because of poor health caused by military service.[4]
Beard married Stella Marie Gladys Londt.[5] She died in a car crash on 27 December 1933,[6] aged 22;[7] their infant daughter Sally died shortly thereafter[6] on 1 January 1934.[5]
World War II
Beard struggled to serve England during World War II. The bare recitation of his official record suffices to illustrate that. He was commissioned as a Flying Officer for the duration of World War II on 18 November 1940.[8] On 22 January 1941, probationary Pilot Officer Beard was assigned to administrative duty.[9] On 20 July, he was transferred to the Technical Branch.[10] On 18 November 1941, Beard transferred into the reserves.[11] On 13 March 1942, he once again resigned his commission as Pilot Officer because of poor health.[12] As of 8 April 1947, he is also shown resigning his commission, which may indicate he returned to duty after the 1942 resignation.[13]
Honors and awards
Awarded the Military Medal on 9 December 1916. Sergeant with Serial no. 839.[14][15]
Sources of information
- ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/beard.php Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ a b c Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. p. 91.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30798/pages/8339 the London Gazette, 16 July 1918. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32176/pages/12759 (The London Gazette, 31 December 1920.) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ a b http://users.iafrica.com/f/fr/friendly/indiI440.html Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ a b http://users.iafrica.com/m/ma/mardig/murrell1.htm Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://familytrees.genopro.com/gjmurrell/Murrell/ Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35028/pages/7299 (The London Gazette, 31 December 1940) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35065/pages/696 (The London Gazette, 4 February 1941) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35241/pages/4576 (The London Gazette, 8 August 1941) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35515/pages/1564 (The London Gazette, 7 April 1942) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35498/supplements/1337 (The London Gazette, 24 March 1942) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38554/supplements/1183 (Supplement to the London Gazette, 8 March 1949) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29854/supplements/12041 (Supplement to the London Gazette, 9 December 1916) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29854/supplements/12042 (Supplement to the London Gazette, 9 December 1916) Retrieved 1 March 2010.
Reference
Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Jon Guttman, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1846032016, 9781846032011.
Categories:- 1895 births
- Royal Flying Corps soldiers
- Recipients of the Military Medal
- Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
- British World War I flying aces
- People from Sandbach
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